by Lorato | Oct 9, 2025 | All News, SMU Media, Student Media
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) marked World Anatomy Day with a powerful reminder of why practical anatomy remains the cornerstone of medical education. The event, themed “With Anatomy through Our eyes”, brought together students, staff, and creative minds to celebrate the discipline that bridges science, art, and humanity.
Professor Risenga Chauke, Dean of the School of Medicine, opened the event with an engaging analogy: “View the human body like a building,” he told the audience. “Anatomy is the structure—the walls and beams—while physiology is how it works—the lights and the Wi-Fi.” Drawing from his experience as a cardiothoracic surgeon, Prof Chauke stressed that no simulation can replace the real human body in training. “Theatre and simulation are not the same,” he said. “In surgery, even a small error can have life-threatening consequences. Only through real dissection can we truly understand the body.”
Chauke commended the Department of Anatomy for providing students with hands-on experience and reminded them that working with human bodies is both a privilege and a responsibility. “We study the dead to save the living,” he said—a sentiment that would echo throughout the day’s presentations and creative works.
Second-year MBChB student Khanya Chirwa expanded on the Dean’s message by sharing her personal journey through the MIBS module—covering anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and pharmacology. Initially “intimidated” by the subject, she soon discovered that anatomy formed the “foundation for clinical practice and diagnosis.” Chirwa illustrated this by explaining how understanding lymph node locations is vital for identifying swelling during physical examinations. “Anatomy is not just about memorising parts,” she said. “It teaches us where to touch, what to feel, and what lies beneath.”
For Chirwa, dissecting a real body was the turning point: “Moving from the textbook to the dissection hall revealed the true meaning of anatomy. Without this knowledge, even interpreting an X-ray or administering an injection becomes risky.”
The day also celebrated anatomy as an art form. Students expressed their reflections through poetry and visual art, blending science with creativity.
Adelade Mathebula’s poem “I am a Living Soul” explored the human body as a masterpiece of interconnected systems— “beautiful in my complexity,” she wrote. Meanwhile, Tshifhiwa John Khabana’s “We Study the Dead to Save the Living” captured the solemn courage of anatomy students facing the dissection hall. His words— “Anatomy is a beautiful art that demands strong will, dedication, and patience”—resonated deeply with the audience.
An accompanying art exhibition transformed anatomy into visual poetry. Works ranged from Miya Jade Robson’s Memento Ossium (pencil) to Shantele Mafatle’s clay sculpture Art of a Kidney. The top prize went to Laurika Prinsloo for The Creator’s Hand, with Mafatle also earning the “People’s Choice” award.
In a session dedicated to academic success, students, including Chirwa, Charlize Degenaar, Sandy Hadebe, and Lehlogonolo Mathete, shared study tips on planning, visualisation, and using digital tools. Degenaar took first place for her practical strategies, highlighting that effective learning in anatomy is as much about mindset as method.
Closing the event, Professor Robert Ndou presented awards across all categories, commending the students’ passion and artistry. From scalpel to sculpture, every contribution affirmed the day’s unifying message: anatomy is not merely studied—it is lived, felt, and honoured.
By Tumelo Moila
by Lorato | Oct 9, 2025 | All News, SMU Media, Student Media
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) has once again demonstrated the power of interprofessional collaboration by partnering with Diphetogo Senior Secondary School in Winterveldt, north of Tshwane. This ongoing Interprofessional Community Engagement (CE) partnership blended environmental action, health promotion, literacy development, and youth empowerment.
This was no ceremonial visit — it is a working partnership. Teams from SMU’s Departments of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Occupational Health and Safety, Academic Literacy, Library and Information Services, Physiotherapy, Built Environment (Horticulture), and the Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) Unit came together with one goal: to deliver practical, lasting impact.
“This engagement was about turning promises into action,” said the school representative, Sipho Nkopane, in his opening remarks. “SMU has shown that collaboration can strengthen our learners’ education and wellbeing in ways that go beyond the classroom.”
The initiative built on the first SMU–Diphetogo collaboration and honoured commitments made during the initial engagement, while equipping learners with practical skills in health, environmental stewardship, and literacy. At its heart, it sought to strengthen the school–university partnership through shared responsibility.
Led by SMU’s horticulturist Mpho Mmako, learners and staff planted ten indigenous trees under the theme Friendship, Health, and Agroforestry. Trees such as Celtis africana and Combretum erythrophyllum now line the school grounds, alongside demonstrations of bottled-water irrigation techniques. “We wanted learners to see that even small innovations can save water and protect our natural environment,” said Mmako.
The Biology and Environmental Sciences team conducted hands-on workshops in waste management, recycling, and composting. “It wasn’t about theory. We wanted learners to leave knowing exactly what to do at home and at school — from managing waste responsibly to composting and recycling,” explained Atlegang Leeuw, a third-year Environmental Sciences student.
Literacy was another key focus. The Library and Information Services team launched the school’s library with books donated through a successful book drive and newly purchased titles. Learners read aloud, took part in language activities, and shared stories with their peers. The Academic Literacy Unit reinforced the message with the Setswana proverb “Lekau le sa eteng, le nyala kgaitsadi-a-lona” — meaning he who never travels ends up marrying his cousin. “Reading takes you places you might never reach physically. It broadens horizons and inoculates the mind against ignorance,” said Mmakgoshi Reetseng, Senior Librarian and event liaison officer.
Health and wellness were highlighted by the Physiotherapy Department, whose activities aligned with World Physiotherapy Month’s theme of Healthy Ageing and Physical Activity. Learners received skipping ropes and three new drum sets for the school’s majorette project. “Movement is medicine,” said Ntombenkosi Sobantu, a physiotherapy lecturer, before joining learners in group exercises and drum-led choreography that filled the schoolyard with energy and laughter.
Behind the scenes, the IPECP Unit coordinated logistics, transport, gazebos, and refreshments. They also recognised learners who showed courage by reading aloud before their peers. “Our role is to make collaboration possible,” said Thokozile Kgongwana, IPECP Coordinator. “When departments come together like this, the impact is multiplied.”
By the end of the day, learners had acquired new skills in environmental care, celebrated the opening of their library, and embraced physical activity with renewed enthusiasm. The partnership left behind more than trees, books, and equipment — it strengthened the bond between the school and the university.
“This was not a once-off outreach,” said Sobantu. “It is proof that universities can step outside lecture halls to change lives.” As learners danced to South African music, drums beating in rhythm with their new confidence, the message was unmistakable: collaboration works.
The Diphetogo Senior Secondary School management and board members witnessed first-hand how academic excellence, community partnership, and practical action can cultivate knowledge, health, and environmental awareness — together.
By Tumelo Moila
by Lorato | Oct 2, 2025 | All News, SMU Media, Student Media
At 22, Albert Sebulela’s journey reads like a story of resilience shaped by faith, discipline, and an unrelenting belief in education. Born in Manoke, a small village in Burgersfort, Limpopo, Sebulela grew up where opportunity was scarce and ambition often faded into survival. Many of his peers, he recalls, ended up unemployed or working informally after matric. But Sebulela chose another path. Raised by his grandmother in a Christian household while his parents worked away from home, he found early strength in her prayers and in the guidance of his teachers. Together with close friends, he spent long hours in study groups and Saturday classes, determined to prove that a boy from Manoke could become the first doctor in his family.
When he arrived at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in 2022, it was to begin the MBChB Extended Programme. The seven-year journey ahead was daunting, but he accepted the challenge with clarity of purpose. “I reminded myself why I was here,” he says. “To serve my community and to show others that education is a way out.”
That clarity fuelled him through his studies and into student leadership. In 2024, he entered the SMUSSS Literature Review Competition with a paper on diabetic foot sepsis—a subject that carried personal weight, as his father suffers from diabetes. What began as a learning exercise turned into victory, with Albert taking first place. More than the award, it was the discovery of research as a tool to break cycles of disease that marked a turning point. Today, as Research and Academic Officer of SMUSSS, he works to create opportunities for undergraduates to contribute to research, convinced that inquiry must become a defining feature of SMU’s medical training.
Alongside his academic achievements, Sebulela has become a fixture in student leadership. His list of roles is long: Deputy Secretary of the Diagnostic Society, Treasurer of the South African Medical Students’ Union (SMU branch), Manager of the SMU Rugby Male Team, Chairperson of Residence 5B, and Secondary Liaison Officer for the School of Medicine. He also served as a CUTL mentor and Vice Secretary of the Green Campus Initiative. To outsiders, the workload might appear overwhelming, but Sebulela insists that discipline and prayer keep him steady. “My degree is my priority, but leadership builds the character to sustain it,” he explains.
Every step of his journey is anchored by family values. His father’s constant reminder—serve selflessly and do good even when no one is watching—guides how he approaches service, while his grandmother’s prayers, he says, are the foundation of his resilience. Faith remains his compass, with verses such as Jeremiah 1:5 and Joshua 1:8–9 shaping his confidence and resolve.
Looking to the future, Sebulela dreams of becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon. Inspired by figures like Professor Risenga Chauke, Dean of the SMU School of Medicine, he hopes to leave the kind of impact that his mentors have had on both patients and students.
For young people from under-resourced backgrounds, his message is unwavering: believe in yourself, create opportunities where none exist, and serve others selflessly. His story, still in its early chapters, is proof that resilience and vision can transform adversity into triumph.
By Tumelo Moila
by Lorato | Oct 2, 2025 | All News, SMU Media, Student Media
Clarity signals confidence. That principle could easily describe the career of Dr Khomotjo Comfort Mothata-Motswaledi, a trailblazer who has redefined the story of Clinical Pharmacology in South Africa. She is the first to complete both the Master of Medicine (MMed) and the Fellowship of Clinical Pharmacology of South Africa [FC Clin Pharm (SA)] at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) and Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital (DGMAH), as well as in Gauteng Province.
Her journey began far from the lecture halls of SMU. Growing up in Mmotong wa Perekisi (Limpopo), she faced the challenges of childhood obesity and the teasing that came with it. “I thought if I became a doctor, I’d find the miracle cure for obesity,” she recalls. While that cure never materialised, the determination to make a difference in health never left her. Books became her track, medicine her race.
It was while working in anaesthesia that she discovered her true calling. An article by the late Professor Andrew Walubo on the emergence of Clinical Pharmacology as a speciality struck her like lightning. “It was like God saying: Khomotjo, this is your lane. Please stay in it,” she says. From then on, the course was set.
Being the first student of a brand-new programme came with its fair share of turbulence and joyrides, she remembers. “It felt like boarding a brand-new aircraft as the only passenger. At times, I was tempted to reach for the emergency exit, but with my mentors (Dr Memela Makiwane and Prof Elżbieta Osuch) at the controls, the journey touched down smoothly.”
Her dissertation, conducted at a tertiary hospital in Gauteng, examined the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of medical doctors and pharmacists towards pharmacogenetics. The study found that while attitudes and perceptions were positive, knowledge levels were inadequate, particularly among medical doctors. These results highlight the urgent need for structured education and supportive policy to advance pharmacogenetics in South Africa – a country where genetic diversity and disease burden make its integration into clinical practice especially valuable. For Dr Mothata-Motswaledi, the message is clear: pharmacogenetics holds the potential to transform healthcare, but only if healthcare professionals are adequately prepared and the health system is strengthened to support its implementation.
Her achievements, however, are not hers alone. She credits God, her mentors, colleagues, and most of all, her family. “My partner, Prof Hendrick Motswaledi, and our children endured the long nights, the sighs, and the endless question: ‘Mum, are you still reading pharmacology?’ Their love and patience made this journey possible.” She adds: “I also extend my gratitude to Professor Robert Summers and Dr Mabina Mogale for the strong foundation they instilled during my research/academic journey. I would not be where I am today without that grounding.”
Today, she lectures both undergraduate and postgraduate students, drives discussions at weekly academic meetings, and advocates for stronger pharmacogenetics education and pharmacovigilance. Her mission is both urgent and personal: safer prescribing, fewer adverse drug reactions, and confidence in personalised medicine.
Her advice to aspiring healthcare professionals is both practical and motivating: “Remain curious and committed to learning. Medicine evolves constantly, and engaging with research ensures you stay at the forefront of your field.”
From Limpopo’s dusty classrooms to the forefront of Clinical Pharmacology, Mothata-Motswaledi’s story proves one thing: clarity, persistence, and passion can change the course of medicine in South Africa.
By Tumelo Moila
by Lorato | Sep 23, 2025 | Accolades and Achievements, All News, SMU Media, Student Media
A new era of healthcare education has begun at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU). Fifty-six second-year nursing students recently participated in Africa’s first virtual reality (VR)–based assessment, a ground-breaking pilot that redefines how future healthcare professionals are trained. SMU’s initiative demonstrates a bold commitment to innovation, blending technology and education to prepare students for the demands of modern clinical practice.
The Department of Nursing, in partnership with Rekindle Learning and SMU’s Centre for University Teaching and Learning (CUTL), introduced students to a fully immersive VR experience. In a safe, controlled environment, learners applied theoretical knowledge to simulated real-world scenarios. From the first moment, the atmosphere was electric, students engaged actively, made clinical decisions, and honed skills in ways traditional assessments cannot match.
“VR is more than a novel tool; it challenges students to think differently and enhances their confidence as practitioners,” said Thandokazi Ikedinobi, Manager of the eLearning and Instructional Technologies Unit at CUTL. Students embraced the technology with enthusiasm, demonstrating adaptability and eagerness to explore this new dimension of learning.
For the School of Health Care Sciences (SHCS), the programme is a source of pride. Dr Vuyokazi Soga, School Operations Manager, highlighted the significance of being the first African university to implement VR-based assessments. “This pilot is a testament to visionary leadership and a commitment to equipping students for the evolving realities of healthcare,” she noted.
Rekindle Learning’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sally Nhlanhla, echoed the sentiment, emphasising the broader vision: to make VR a mainstream educational tool across Africa. “Partnering with SMU allows us to empower students not just with knowledge, but with the tools to shape the future of healthcare delivery,” she said.
Though currently focused on nursing, the potential of VR assessments extends across disciplines. Feedback from students, lecturers, and administrators will refine the programme and may pave the way for adoption in pharmacy, dentistry, and medicine. If scaled, VR could become a cornerstone of SMU’s teaching model, offering risk-free, engaging, and accelerated learning experiences that bridge the gap between theory and practice.
What sets this achievement apart is not only the technology itself but the culture of support within the Department of Nursing. The presence of the full team during the assessments reflected a dedication to excellence, innovation, and student development. By embracing new teaching methods and standing alongside learners, the department set a benchmark in leadership that inspires both students and colleagues.
This milestone signals more than innovation—it represents a bold statement that African universities can lead in redefining education through technology. For the 56 nursing students who participated, the experience extends beyond the VR headset: it equips them with practical skills, confidence, and a pioneering spirit that will guide their journey as healthcare professionals.
SMU’s VR pilot marks a transformative step in African higher education, showing that when ambition meets technology, learning is limited only by imagination.
By Dimakatso Modise
